Which of Mordechai Ben David's songs has touched your life?

Riki Goldstein

For over four decades, we’ve sung and danced

Wednesday, December 05, 2018

Back in 1973, a young man named Mordechai Werdyger slipped on to the Jewish music scene with a little-known album called Original Chassidic Melodies. While that early album never took off, listeners sat up when they heard Mordechai Ben David’s next album, Hineni, the following year. The magic of his new-old musical style and the sheer power of his voice soon won a place right at the heart of the frum soundtrack.

For over four decades, we’ve sung and danced, swayed and prayed, to hundreds of iconic MBD songs, the ones he wrote himself and those collaborations he made famous. And now we’ve asked our readers:

Which one of Mordechai Ben David’s songs has touched your life?

“Samcheim” (The Double Album, 1990)

I always knew MBD’s “Samcheim” — who didn’t? When I grew up, it was a wedding song. But when I attended Gateshead Yeshivah, the highlight of every mesibah was “Samcheim,” which the bochurim sang as Rav Ezriel Rosenbaum entered. We sang and he danced to those three words for fifteen minutes straight. It was our rebbi’s favorite song, and watching him live that supplication was a vision of dveikus that’s stayed with me. Whenever I hear it, it takes me back there.

—Y.K.L., London, UK

MBD'S TAKE

“Hashem gave me this song right after the shivah of Rebbe Moshe Mordechai of Lelov ztz”l. It was inspired by his fiery hishtapchus hanefesh during his holy Friday night tishen, when he would repeat these three words over and over, to the point when sometimes he’d literally pass out from the intense yearning for Geulah and binyan Beis Hamikdash.”

“Yidden” (Jerusalem Not for Sale, 1986)

Definitely “Yidden.” Although the song was taken from a German rock group, the words are energetic and inspiring. An all-time favorite.

—Rabbi Adler, Skokie, IL

MBD'S TAKE

“This song speaks of the joyous excitement upon the arrival of Mashiach and the ingathering from galus. Rebbe Nachman of Breslov writes that one can bring any song, no matter its source, into kedushah by singing it on Shabbos.”

It’s a tough question, but I would go with “Daddy Dear,” particularly the version recorded on The English Collection. Hearing Mordechai singing with a child soloist, as a dialogue, it’s easy to imagine a father comforting his child, assuring him that there will come a time when Hashem’s cup of tears will be full. It never fails to move me, and was my go-to song during one particularly hard period in my life.

—Ari B., UK

MBD'S TAKE

It is indeed one of my all-time favorites. Based on an eloquent medrash, it truly expresses the love Hashem has for all of us, and how He acutely feels our pain and suffering.”

“Mah Ashiv” (Hallel, 1987; and Kumzitz, 2003)

When I was diagnosed with a rare disease, although it was not life-threatening, it was definitely life-alerting. Driving back from the hospital that day, I said, “Ma, I need to go home. Don’t drive me to work.” My mind was racing faster than the blowing snow on that winter day. At home, I turned on music. “Ma Ashiv” filled my room, and I cried and sang Hallel — it was Rosh Chodesh. The song’s words were soothing, but the depth and meaning of the tune gave it even more power. “Ana Hashem ki ani avdecha,” I sang. “Please, Hashem, answer me, be here with me through this, because I am Your servant.” For years since that day, through medical appointments, flying around the world in a quest for answers to this medical challenge, through the hard days of my younger siblings’ weddings, and through the emotional turmoil of this journey, I learned to connect to Hashem, deeply, in a real way, as I ask Him to answer me, because I am His servant. And I also learned to be grateful — as the song finishes so beautifully — “Halleluka.”

—T.D., Baltimore, MD

MBD'S TAKE

“This song, composed by Rabbi Aviezer Wolfson, became a Rosh Chodesh anthem in many communities worldwide, especially in Eretz Yisrael. Ma ashiv l’Hashem? How can I repay Hashem for the bountiful kindness he has bestowed upon me? Even when we go through trials and tribulations in life we can always find things to be grateful and thankful for. And that’s what Dovid Hamelech expressed and taught us in this beautiful tefillah.”

“Ribono Shel Olam” (HASC II – A Time for Music, 1989)

One of my favorite MBD recordings is “Ribono Shel Olam,” composed by Mona Rosenblum, which he sang at the second HASC concert. The song has been sung by many artists, but no one can emulate the way MBD does it. It encapsulates his chazzanus, hartz, and liveliness all in one. Every Shabbos before leining, we skip over the “Ribono Shel Olam” prayer that asks Hashem to fulfill all of our wishes and the ultimate wish of doing His will. On Yom Tov, as the congregation reads through these words quickly and quietly, I want to get up and sing “kedei she’nizkeh l’chayim tovim….”

— Meir Simcha Neiman, Lakewood, NJ

MBD'S TAKE

“It’s one of the greatest songs ever written in Jewish music. Composed by my dear colleague Mona Rosenblum, it expresses and interprets the words of this beautiful prayer to perfection. A true all-time classic.”

“Torah Hakedoshah” (Maaminim Bnei Maaminim, 2001)

My pick is “Torah Hakedoshah,” and here’s why: Some of my family and I were very close to Rav Yisroel Belsky ztz”l. After he was niftar, we went to daven at his kever on Har Hamenuchos, and then we sang “Torah Hakedoshah,” a song that captured our deep emotions and our connection to him. We just all broke down and cried as we thought about our beloved rebbi. Rebbi was all about the Torah, and he made it a beautiful song — “hashirah hazos” — for all of us. Then there’s the beautiful tune, and MBD’s voice. Overpowering.

—Shmuly Lowenthal, Brooklyn

MBD'S TAKE

“Harav Belsky ztz"l was a Torah giant with a brilliant mind in all aspects of life. I had the honor and priviledge to spend an entire unforgettable Succos with him in LA one year. May he be a meilitz yosher for all his talmidim and for all of Klal Yisrael.”

“Mi K’amcha” (Tomid Besimcha, 1994)

As a kid, I must have heard the MBD tape Tomid Besimcha, hundreds of times. I didn’t understand a word of Yiddish, but I could “sing” most of the Yiddish song “Mi K’amcha” by heart. Fast forward 20 years. I was driving down Forest Avenue in Lakewood, when I heard a nostalgic tune from my youth. By this time, I was able to make out the words, and I was moved to tears by the message. Even in the darkest of times, Hashem loves us, more than we can imagine. But even more so, I couldn’t get over the fact that I had actually heard this message hundreds of times before. I just didn’t have the tools to understand it. This brought to life the following concept: In the Next World, everything will become so clear, and there will be no questions.

Hashem is telling us constantly that He loves us. We may even hear the words, we may even be able to repeat them, but we don’t always have the tools to understand them. One flash of Divine insight, and everything will become clear as day.

—Menachem Thav, Lakewood

MBD'S TAKE

“This song was written by the Ribnitzer Rebbetzin a”h. She always saw the positive side in every situation and in every Yid.”

“Hineni” (Hineni, 1974)

Even after repeatedly hearing “Hineni” for 40 years, the last stanza still sends chills down my spine and brings tears to my eyes: Our forefathers smiled as they died in peace / But the cries they began will never cease / The words they cried shook the heavens above / They said Hineni, we are here with love.

When Bilaam blessed the Jewish people, he said, “May my death be that of the righteous and my end like them.” The highest aspiration of a Jew should be to arrive in Heaven and shout out, “I am here with love!”

—Yosef Eisen, Lakewood

MBD'S TAKE

“This song was written in 1972 at the request of Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis a”h, as she embarked on her mission to spread the light of Hashem and ignite the spark of light in every Yiddishe neshamah, with the founding of the ‘Hineni’ organization. She traveled the world with the passionate messages she so eloquently delivered, bringing so many lost souls back to their roots.”